Jacob first experienced Cashiers when camping in Panthertown Valley during college. He did not imagine how those experiences would shape his life.
Jacob grew up in Florence, South Carolina, where he played basketball, football, and baseball. He also was an active member of YoungLife and led worship in church and with his youth group. He planned to explore playing baseball in college to continue his athletic career.
Life changed drastically when he tore his ACL twice. Through this experience, he felt God’s call on his life to pursue the ministry. He studied at Columbia International University (CIU) in Columbia, SC, where he majored in Bible and Youth Ministry with a minor in Outdoor Leadership. He graduated in 2014.
On those college camping trips to Panthertown, Jacob met his wife, Janai. She is originally from Parker, Colorado, but had relocated to Columbia with her family. Jacob and Janai married in 2016 and have two boys, Judah, age five, and Jack, age four.
Jacob and his family live in Highlands and love the mountains. He enjoys hobbies like fly fishing, golf, playing music, and working on his house. He volunteers at Blue Ridge School with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), often leading bible studies for middle and high school students. He teaches a guitar class during school hours and teaches guitar for the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) after school. He also participates in the Highlands softball league every summer.
In 2019, Jacob was called to serve at Christ Church of the Valley as Student Pastor, and he transitioned to the role of Congregational Pastor in 2022.
Most days, you can catch Jacob at Bucks Coffee around one o’clock. He’d love to have coffee or lunch with you.
email: jacob@cashiers.church
Brent grew up in Brevard, North Carolina, where he graduated from Brevard High School. While attending high school, he played baseball and participated in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He graduated from Columbia International University, majoring in Bible and Youth Ministry and serving as a Residential Assistant. Brent earned a Masters in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Brent served at Brevard Community Church as the Student Pastor for seventeen years. As a student pastor, Brent served as the Brevard High School Football Chaplain. In November 2017, Brent accepted the lead pastor role at Christ Church of the Valley in Cashiers. In 2022 Brent transitioned into a new position at Christ Church of the Valley, the Mission and Direction Pastor.
Amanda grew up in Brevard, North Carolina, and graduated from Brevard High School. Amanda graduated from Columbia International University, majoring in Bible and Youth Ministry. While in Columbia, SC, she served as a Young Life leader to High School students. After graduating college, Amanda worked in the Transylvania County school system as a Teaching Assistant and is currently the Office Manager and Attendance Secretary for Rosman High School. Amanda served as a volunteer student leader and teacher at Brevard Community Student Ministry for seventeen years. Amanda also enjoys painting and is a professional photographer.
Brent and Amanda have two daughters who attend Rosman Middle and High school in Transylvania County. Marley Ruth is sixteen years old and enjoys playing softball and running cross country, and Farrah Blake is thirteen years old and enjoys softball and art.
Together the Metcalf family enjoys finding new waterfalls and trails to hike.
Curt Mackey became a follower of Jesus Christ during his teenage years. While in college, he earned both a BS and MA in Bible and Christian Education. In 1957 he and his wife Lois joined the staff of CRU. They served with them for many years. Some of Curt’s responsibilities included being Dr. Bill Bright’s personal assistant; working in the Philippines for 10 years; participating with the Jesus Film Ministry in a leadership capacity, as well as with CoMission, (a ministry to the former Soviet Union.) Since 2007 Curt has served as the Associate Pastor.
Email: curtmackeyip@yahoo.com
Isaiah has been playing music since he was 14. He is an accomplished guitarist, sings, and also composes. He is currently the worship leader at Christ Church of the Valley, and has been with our church almost since its beginning, in 2007. Isaiah came to see his need for Jesus after having come to the awareness that without him, “life had nothing to offer”. His favorite scripture is Psalm 91. He and his wife Amber were married in April of 2018.
Email: isaiah.breedlove@yahoo.com
Drawn by the beauty of the area, Ellen and Mike settled in Cashiers in 2020. Christ Church of the Valley was a welcome church community and quickly became home.
Ellen came to Christ as a young girl, shortly after the divorce of her parents and the resulting upheaval. The journey to Jesus Follower took a bit more time and involved lots of twists and turns, with incredible blessings along the way.
Mike and Ellen have been married for 33 years, raised 4 children, welcomed 3 spouses into the crew and are enjoying the first two grandbabies. Their family is all over the country but loves to come to Cashiers to enjoy the mountains.
Life is a joy when lived with bothers and sisters in Christ. Mike serves on the AV team. You can usually find Ellen in the church office, communicating, organizing and loving on whoever comes her way.